Travel in America: What to See in Seattle

Now after arriving in Seattle on Greyhound Bus, I had only one day in this city to explore before heading up to Canada.

What to see in Seattle

To make a plan of attack for the day, I started my day at the Seattle Visitor Center where I picked up a downtown map and got recommendations of what to see during my day. As always, I looked for things that were fun and budget-friendly. Here’s what I came up with! 😀

Drink coffee at Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room 

Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks, and the roastery and tasting room is the perfect place to sample rare, small-batch coffee, brewed with care. They even brew their beans with a unique siphon brewing method, which looks like a science experiment, using different beakers that use a vacuum and vapor pressure to produce coffee.

I tried the Gravitas Blend Number 3, which has hints of dark cacao and black cherry. Amazing! 🍫🍒☕

Cost: 6 USD

Sample Seattle’s finest fish at the Pike Place Market

Seattle sits alongside the Pacific Ocean, so high quality fresh fish is not hard to find. 🐟

The fisherman even make a spectacle of their sales by throwing the fish from the case to the counter during a purchase. 😛

They even had this fake fish with a string attached to the tail. If somebody got too close, they’d pull the string and the fish would move around and scare the pants off some of the market guests. Hah! 😛

Now aside from seafood delicacies, the market has lots of other local fare, like fresh produce, fresh flowers, oils, teas, cheeses, bread, and handmade crafts.

My personal favorites were the cinnamon-orange tea and the Mt. Rainier cherries. So sweet and delicious!As well, the market has six levels, so I easily spent three hours here, wandering around the shops, and relaxing in the outdoor garden.

Now after all that walking, I needed something substantial, so I checked out Pike Place Chowder. The wait was about 20 minutes, but it was absolutely worth it for a cup of hearty New England Clam Chowder! Yum!

Cost: 7 USD, plus free nibbles at the market 🙂

Add a piece of bubble yum to the glorious gum wall

The gum wall is a grungy, glorious and borderline gag-worthy sight to see. Hah!Essentially, this alleyway near the public market is covered in ABC (already-been-chewed) bubble gum. It’s almost turned into a work of art, and somehow represents the resilient culture found in Seattle. Apparently, the city tried to clean it up, but the citizens revolted and so the gum wall still remains today.The market sells lots of bubble gum, so find your favorite flavor, chew it up, then tack it on the wall to leave your mark. 😉

View free art around downtown

There are many ways to view art for free downtown. For more traditional pieces, visit the Frye Art Museum, which houses a beautiful collection of over 200 oil canvas paintings donated by the wealthy Frye family for all to enjoy.For more contemporary art, head to the Olympic Sculpture Park, which has beautiful gardens and abstract metal sculptures.Lastly, my personal favorite way to view art was to walk the city streets, to view its fabulous historic architecture, and quirky, artsy vibe.

See the Space Needle at the Seattle Center

The Space Needle is an observation deck, and one of the most iconic structures of the Pacific Northwest. Whether you marvel at the towering structure from its base, or take the elevator to the top, it’s definitely a must-see attraction in the city. ❤

Personally, I remember it most notably from the film, Sleepless in Seattle. ❤Anyway, aside from the Space Needle, the Seattle Center also houses lots of museums, including the impressive Museum of Pop Culture.

Take in panoramic views of the city (and Space Needle) from Kerry Park

Now the Space Needle may have a gorgeous observation deck, but for a free view of the city (including the iconic Space Needle), I headed over to Kerry Park. On a clear day, you can have views of the city skyline, the Pacific Coast, and Mount Rainier in the distance.
The neighborhood surrounding Kerry Park also has lots of beautiful homes, with plenty of green space. 

Check out Chinatown and the area’s extensive Asian marketplace

One of my last stops of the day was to Seattle’s Chinatown, home to lots of Asian restaurants and Uwajimaya, one of the largest Asian grocery stores in the Northwest.
I was able to stock up on dinner and snacks for my bus to Canada. 🙂
At the end of the day, I felt I had only scratched the surface of this beautiful city, but I loved every second of it. Next up, I begin my Moose Bus tour in Canada. Stay tuned to hear all about it. Until then! 😀